Elemental Destiny

Roadtrip

6 months ago, we would've never thought our lives would be like this, Rose thought to herself as she stared out of the passenger side window of her Ford F100. Her best friend, Olive Gomez, was driving and her boyfriend and his best friend were in the bed of the truck. Olive and Rose met on their first day of 2nd grade they were instantly best friends. Olive and her adoptive parents had just moved a few doors down from where Rose and her parents lived. In the 3rd grade, Olive was forced to sit next to the class clown, Nick Clark. Overtime the two girls warmed up to him and the three of them became close over that summer. During the summer of 5th grade, a new boy around the age of the trio, moved down the street. Mack Garcia, had just been adopted by the couple who lived next door to Rose. It was now Junior year and the 4 were inseparable. Which brings us to now:
                 6 months ago, we would've never thought our lives would be like this. We were just 4 high school students obsessed with prom and our first loves. Rose thought as she watched the scenery fly by.
"Rose, what's wrong?", Olive asked.
Rose shook her head and mumbled, "Nothing".
"Rosetta Wayne, don't make me pull this car over and demand that you tell me the truth", Olive joked.
Rose hated the sound of her full name, "Sorry, I was just thinking about last year", Rose shrugged.
Olive shook her head, "Don't bring it up around the guys, they still aren't processing it".
"I know I know...JEEZ why do the guys always get to be in denial and we cant!?", Rose spat as she sat up.
"Cause if all 4 of us were in denial then we wouldn't have made it this far", Olive sighed as she tightened her grip on the stirring wheel.
"Yeah...", Rose said as she looked back at the two sleepy boys laying in the bed of her truck.
"How are things with you and Nick?", Olive asked, snapping Rose out of her trance. "We're fine", Rose hesitated.
"Don't give me that, you two haven't spoke since...that night", Olive looked at Nick through the rear view mirror.
"I know...I'll talk to him,  I'll talk to him",Rose reassured her friend.
"I was hoping you'd say that", Olive giggled a little as she pulled the truck off to the side of the highway.
"Oli what are you doing!?", Rose asked and sat up straight.
"I'm tired of driving", Olive said. Before Rose could argue, Olive was already at the tailgate.
                Olive dropped the tailgate down and jumped in before briefing Nick on what to do, "Will you drive?", she asked. Nick nodded and hopped down. He shut the tail gate and slid into the drivers seat.
"Sup", Nick said as he put the truck in gear and got back onto the main highway. Rose nodded and went back to staring out the window.
"Are you ever gonna forgive me?", Nick spat after a few awkward moments of silence. Rose closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the window.
"There's nothing to forgive", Rose mumbled.
"Then why won't you talk to me!?", Nick said, his voice getting a little louder.  "You're...a reminder", Rose said as she shut her eyes trying to forget the horrors that took place that evening.
"It wasn't my fault, Rosie", Nick started to say, "I tried to save him". Rose looked at Nick and saw the tears streaming down his face as the events played back in his brain, over and over. She slid into the middle seat and held one of his hands.
"I never thought for a second, that it was your fault.", She said as she fiddled with the ring on his right hand. She had the ring that matched his on her right hand too. Nick had bought them for their two year anniversary last summer. She leaned her head on his shoulder and clung to his right arm.
                      They pulled into a cheap Motel 6 parking lot at 3am. Every Wednesday they'd stay in the cheapest motel they could find because they needed their money for gas and food. Mack and Olive had fallen asleep in the bed of the old pickup truck. Rose nudged their shoulder as she walked past. The 4 of them got out and stretched their legs before grabbing their stuff and heading into the little main office. A little bell rang when Nick opened the door. An older lady with a cigarette yelled from the back, "GIVE ME A SECOND". The four waited patiently, checking out the interior design of the office. The lady finally came to a desk and asked,
"How many rooms?". She had a nasty look on her face and she smelt of cigarette smoke and booze. No doubt, she was the owner.
"Just one please", Olive said politely as she stepped a little behind Mack.
"2 beds?", the mean lady asked.
"Um...no just one please", Rose quietly piped in. The lady shook her head and typed a few things into the computer system before Nick handed her the money and Mack took the key. Room 122, on the first floor. They got back in the truck and parked near where their room was. Mack grabbed the few bags they had while Rosie and Olive opened the room door to use the bathroom.
"9 hours driving without a stop and they expect us to hold it!?" , Olive chirped through the bathroom door.
"Well maybe you shouldn't have had all those frappes", Rosie laughed as she waited for her turn.
"Hey!! Mama needs her coffee", Olive said as she opened the door of the bathroom. Rosie rushed in.
"I will never get chicks, man", Mack said as he walked through the door.
"Exactly!! Who the hell talks to each other while they go pee!?", Nick said as he shook his head.
"Best friends do", Olive spat back. Rosie walked out of the bathroom and laughed, "Shut up, you two text each other when you're in the bathroom".
"Um nooooo!! That's only if we need toilet paper", Mack defended.
"Ya! Gotta come in clutch when your bro is out of TP", Nick agreed as they high fives each other. Olive and Rosie shook their head and rolled their eyes once more.
                     "We should get some sleep so we can be out of here first thing in the morning", Olive yawned.
"You realize it's 3am right? It is first thing in the morning right now", Mack joked.
She stuck her tongue out, "You know what I mean".
"Ok girls, you two in the bed. Mack and I will take the floor", Nick said as he started to lay blankets on the floor. Rosie smiled, she always loved how he was a gentlemen. "Orrrrrrr I'll take your spot and you can take mine", Olive hinted not so subtly.
He looked down at Mack, "That good with you!?".
"Dude I love you and all but I'd so much rather cuddle up with her than you", Mack replied.
Nick flipped him off before jokingly saying, "not what you were saying last night". "Last night was different", Mack responded.
"Ya ok just go snuggle with your side hoe though! Olive you know I'm his main", Nick joked as he took his shirt off.
"Yes I'm well aware, how could I ever compete", Olive mockingly said. "Damn straight", Nick nodded.
"Y'all are anything BUT straight", Rosie pipped up. The four of them laughed. Mack hit the lights and Nick climbed into bed with Rosie. "These sheets smell weird", he whispered in her ear. She could feel the warmth of his body before he even laid down next to her. He was laying on his back a few inches from her. She wondered if he was that far away to respect her or because he didn't want to sleep next to her. Only one way to find out, she thought to herself. She rolled over and put her head on his chest. He instantly scooped her up in his arms and held onto her as if that was the first time he'd seen her in years. She slowly fell asleep to the sound of his heart beat and the warmth of his embrace.